Things Noted Here and There
Catastrophe: According to Tariq Ali,"Pakistan Will Not Forget," The Guardian, 12 October, early reports may have vastly understated the earthquake's destruction in Kashmir and neighboring Pakistan and India. The Times of India is reporting a death toll of 81,000 and counting. At Chapati Mystery, our colleague, Manan Ahmed, suggests reliable places to which contributions for relief can be sent. Thanks to Manan and Irfan Khawaja at Theory and Practice for the tips.
Carnivals: The Asian History Carnival is up at Frog in a Well, Japan. Jonathan Dresner is the host. Scott Eric Kaufman will host History Carnival #18 at Acephalous on Saturday 15 October. Send your nominations of exemplary history posts that have appeared since 1 October to him at: acephalous*at*gmail*dot*com or scotterickaufman*at*gmail*dot*com .
Awards: Finalists for the National Book Awards have been named. In nonfiction, Harvard's Leo Damrosch is nominated for his biography, Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Restless Genius, and Adam Hochschild is nominated for Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves. The Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded to the British playwright, Harold Pinter, this morning. Meanwhile, Rob MacDougall pays tribute to the novels of Kazuo Ishiguro, who did not win the Booker Prize this year. [More ...]
Centaurs:"Centaurs Appeared After Copulation Between Humans and Animals," Pravda, 11 October. I kid you not. Professor Christopher Chippendale of Cambridge and Paul Takon of the Australian Museum in Sydney may want to check after their professional reputations hereafter. Thanks to Mr. Sun! for the tip.
Letters: Whatever we learn from The Harriet and George Letters is not likely to increase our respect for them, either.